A Matter of Trust
by sues2002
Summary: J/H relationship crisis, loosely based on spoilers for upcoming shows. Story Complete!
1. Default Chapter

A matter of trust  
  
This is my guess for the upcoming episode Nobody's Fault But Mine. It is loosely based on spoilers for You Shook Me.  
Hyde sat on his bed. Not since the dreaded "get off my boyfriend" incident had he felt this bad. And that wasn't his fault. Not the case this time. No, this time he blew it...maybe. Damn, Jackie. Things were so much easier when there wasn't all this relationship crap to deal with.  
  
"Hey, Hyde." Eric called from outside the door.  
  
"Forman, I'm busy." Hyde fell back, lying on the bed.  
  
Eric walked into the room. "Wow, you are busy. It takes a lot of effort to lay down and sulk. I guess single-handedly destroying a relationship takes a lot out of you."  
  
"Huh. You really want to talk about single-handedly destroying a relationship? Because I seem to remember a situation involving a scrawny neighbor boy, a shapely redhead, and a promise ring." Hyde sat up and stared at Eric.  
  
"Sticks and stones, baby." Eric chuckled. "Now, Fez, Kelso, and I were going to partake in some....film, so quit the sulking crap."  
  
"Partake?" Hyde questioned, following Eric out the door.  
  
"I've been studying for the SATs again." Eric said sheepishly. "Third time's a charm." Eric and Hyde joined the circle, letting the good times roll. ---  
  
"Donna, why?" Jackie wailed from under the covers of her bed. All that could be seen was the head of Fluffy-cakes, the stuffed unicorn, sticking out from the top of the blankets.  
  
"Jackie," Donna began, stifling a laugh, "is there any way you could come out before I talk to you. 'Cause right now, I feel like I'm talking to a stuffed unicorn, and the only time I ever feel that way is down in Forman's basement, when I've been in the circle for awhile."  
  
"Um, Donna," Jackie said, sitting up and throwing the blankets off, "do you think maybe you could try to be a little more sympathetic to my needs. I mean, I know you have trouble expressing your feminine qualities, but come on, give it a try." Jackie tucked a loose stand of hair behind her ear. "How could Steven do this to me? What did I ever do to him that would make him want to hurt me this way?" Jackie looked confused.  
  
"Well, aside from your bitchy, domineering, self-absorbed, shallow, materialistic qualities....nothing." Donna put her arm around Jackie's shoulders. "Seriously, I know Hyde hurt you, but I really don't think he did it on purpose. This whole thing has been a giant misunderstanding."  
  
"A misunderstanding? Donna, Steven slept with some slutty nurse at the nurses' ball. Exactly what is there to misunderstand?" Jackie sobbed.  
  
"Well, first of all, you don't even know if that's true. I mean, sure, Mrs. Forman, of all people, is the one who said she saw Hyde kiss that slutty girl and go into her hotel room. But she also had a few too many, if you know what I mean." Donna said soothingly, smiling at the memory of drunk Kitty.  
  
"Mrs. Forman also said she saw Steven's hand hang a do not disturb sign on the doorknob, Donna. Steven did not want to be disturbed while he was with that slutty nurse, Donna. Steven cheated on me with a slutty nurse in her slutty hotel room at that slutty nurse's ball, Donna."  
  
Donna ignored this tirade. "Second of all, Kelso said Hyde was upset because he saw you and him together on my couch after you said you wouldn't be alone with Kelso anymore. You know that he is insecure about Kelso. Maybe he just needed someone to talk to about it. Mrs. Forman said he tried to talk to her, but lets face facts, how much help could the woman have been?" Again, Donna began to smile at the thought of drunk Kitty.  
  
"Well, he could have come and asked me about it. Then I would have told him that I tried to get rid of Michael, but he needed to talk to someone about Fez having that sex dream about him. I was just being supportive. I can't hide my sensitive nature, Donna." Jackie said angrily.  
  
"Still, I think you need to get Hyde's side of the story before you go back into hibernation." Donna said, staring at Jackie as she hid under the covers again. "People do stupid things when they're hurting. I'm not saying that's an excuse, just an explanation."  
  
"I'm hurting! He broke my heart." Jackie said seriously, pulling the blanket down slightly to reveal her face. "What am I supposed to do now?"  
  
"I don't know." Donna said quietly, staring back at her. ---  
  
"Hey, man, I think I just came up with a song about my situation with Jackie." Hyde said after awhile, looking like he was concentrating very hard. "I'm gonna call it Nobody's fault but mine."  
  
"Um, Hyde, are you ok?" Eric looked worried. "Cause making up songs is...well, it's lame. Plus, since when do you take the blame for anything?"  
  
"Hey, Forman," Kelso interjected, "I wrote a few songs when I was trying to win Jackie back.  
  
"Oh, yeah." Fez added. "Was that the second time you broke up, or the seventh? I get them all mixed up." He thought for a minute. "Either way, it was lame."  
  
Hyde ignored them all and started to sing.  
  
"Nobody's fault but mine  
  
Nobody's fault but mine  
Trying to save my soul tonight  
  
It's nobody's fault but mine"  
Devil he told me to roll  
  
Devil he told me to roll  
How to roll the log tonight  
  
Nobody's fault but mine"  
  
Then Kelso and Fez joined in, leaving Eric to stare at them in disbelief.  
  
"Brother he showed me the gong?  
  
Brother he showed me the ding dong ding dong  
  
How to roll, the log tonight  
  
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine  
Got a monkey on my back.  
  
Got a monkey on my back."  
  
Unable to resist any longer, Eric also joined in.  
  
"Gonna change my ways tonight  
  
Nobody's fault but mine  
I will get down rollin' tonight  
  
Nobody's fault but mine"  
  
"Wow, how did you guys know the words. I just made it up." Hyde said incredulously.  
  
Kelso looked confused for a minute, then smiled widely. "You must be psychic!"  
  
"Hyde is psychic." Fez looked at him in awe. "I always wanted a friend with super powers."  
  
Eric stared at each of them in turn, looking more dumbfounded with each person he turned to. "Um, first of all, the word is telepathic. If Hyde was psychic, he would be able to sing a song we made up." Eric shook his head. "Second of all," he turned to Hyde, "and I hate to crush your spirit in your time of need, but you didn't make that song up."  
  
"Yes I did, you just heard me." Hyde protested.  
  
"No, you didn't. That's a Led Zeppelin song, man." Eric corrected him.  
  
"Oh." Hyde responded. "I like it."  
  
"Yeah." Eric looked around the circle. "This is the most pathetic thing I've ever seen. I mean, Hyde's depressed about Jackie, Kelso's freaked out about the sex dream Fez had about him, Fez had a sex dream about Kelso, and I'm sitting here talking to myself cause no one's listening."  
  
It was true. Hyde was singing "Nobody's fault but mine" to himself again, Kelso was concentrating on putting as much space between him and Fez as possible without getting off the chair, and Fez was eating a slice of cheese he had removed from his pants' pocket.  
  
"We need to pull ourselves together here." Eric said standing up. "But first, I gotta pee." ---  
  
Donna found Eric lying on his bed in his room.  
  
"Eric, what are you doing?" Donna asked as she sat down at the foot of the bed.  
  
"Well, I told the guys I was going to pee, and then we would pull ourselves together...but I just didn't feel like walking back downstairs. I guess it's because I'm tired, or it could be the dense cloud of....depression going on down there." Eric said, struggling to lift his head up to look at his fiancée.  
  
"What a mess, huh?" Donna sighed. "Jackie is just the same over in my room...except instead of a cloud of depression, it's more of a cocoon." She gestured with her hands.  
  
"Donna, I'm seriously afraid to set foot in my own basement." Eric said sitting up. "Kelso is freaked out about the Fez dream, Fez is pulling cheese out of his pants, and Hyde...I've never seen him like that before. Depressed is an understatement, man."  
  
"Well, as usual, we are the only sane ones left." Donna moved up to sit next to Eric.  
  
"Tell me about it," he replied, sliding an arm around her shoulders. "It's hard being the rock."  
  
Donna shook her head in agreement. "How's your mom?"  
  
"Hopefully drying out." Eric smirked. "I think Red's about ready to stage an intervention."  
  
"Well, if he does..." Donna started, but Eric jumped in.  
  
"Oh, we are so there." Eric chuckled. "Do you think we should head back down to our posts?"  
  
"Dear God, NO!!" Donna yelled, clutching Eric's shirt. "How about we hide here, and wait for everything to blow over?"  
  
"That could take awhile. How about we hide here until we need to eat and/or use the bathroom?" Eric asked.  
  
"Deal." Donna agreed, resting her head on Eric's shoulder. ---  
  
Kitty was finally able to venture down to the kitchen, after her pounding headache from the festivities of the night before had dulled to a slight throb. She was in the process of making tea when Hyde emerged from the basement. "Steven," she called, setting the kettle on the stove, "I'm so glad you're here. We need to have a little talk." She set a teacup on the counter and walked over to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair for Hyde before sitting down.  
  
"Mrs. Forman," Hyde said, walking over to join her, "I think maybe we talked enough last night."  
  
"Oh, Steven, honey, don't be silly." Kitty smiled at him. "I'm afraid that last night I was....slightly under the weather, and that is why I wasn't able to help you with your problems." She laughed nervously. "However, I'm feeling much better today, so you just tell me what is going on with you."  
  
Hyde stared at her for a minute. "Well, I think it might be a little late for talking now."  
  
"Oh, Steven. It's never too late to communicate." Kitty laughed. "Listen to me, I'm a poet."  
  
Hyde looked skeptically at Kitty. "Mrs. Forman, maybe I should let you just sit there and enjoy your tea."  
  
"Spill it, Steven." Kitty said harshly.  
  
"Ok. Well, I think you know most of it....since you were the one who told Jackie and everyone about it. This whole thing started because I didn't trust her with Kelso, and now she's not going to trust me. She told me that she loved me, man, and I couldn't trust her. I think it's safe to say we're over." Hyde looked down at his hands.  
  
"Have you talked to her?" Kitty asked, patting Hyde's arm.  
  
"No. I kind of doubt she wants to see me." Hyde said looking up at Kitty.  
  
"Well, Steven, I think you need to go see her and talk to her, whether she wants to see you or not. You need to get your side of the story out there, and make her understand what really happened." Kitty thought for a moment. "By the way, what really did happen?" ---  
  
Kelso glared across Donna's den to the figure that walked through the door. "What's he doing here?"  
  
"Well, Eric is my fiancé, so I invite him over once in awhile." Donna said, walking over to sit on the couch.  
  
"Not him. FEZ!" Kelso yelled, slightly hysterically.  
  
"Kelso, man, you and Fez need to work things out." Eric said, joining Donna on the couch. "It's just a little sex dream." Eric tried to contain his laughter.  
  
"What if he had a dream about you. I mean, I know I'm one giant hunk, but that's going a little far." Kelso said looking at Fez.  
  
"Fez, I think all Kelso needs is a little reassurance that you won't try to do it with him." Donna said, trying to mediate.  
  
Fez thought about it for a long time.  
  
"Um, Fez, buddy," Eric said nervously. "now is the time to say NO, I won't try to do it with Kelso."  
  
"Kelso," Fez began. "You are a sexy man."  
  
"Oh, no." Eric said, putting his head in his hands.  
  
Fez continued. "But, I do not want to do it with you."  
  
"Well, ok then." Kelso said hesitantly. "That's good enough for me," he smiled. "But it you ever try it, I'll pound you."  
  
"Fair enough." Fez said, smiling back. "Did I ever tell you about the dream I had about Eric?" ---  
  
Hyde walked down to the basement to grab his coat and head over to Jackie's. It turned out he didn't have far to go, because she was sitting on the couch. She turned to look at him when she heard him on the stairs. "Hi, Steven," she said quietly.  
  
"Jackie, what are you doing here?" He asked, totally surprised to see her.  
  
She shook her head. "I couldn't sit in my room anymore." Jackie stood up. "Actually, it's Donna's room. I couldn't sit in Donna's room anymore."  
  
"I know I hurt you." Hyde looked a little self-conscious, for one of the first times ever.  
  
"Yeah, why did you?" Jackie looked very small, asking such an innocent question.  
  
"I saw you and Kelso together at Donna's. Then, at the hotel, Roy said you two were probably doing it behind my back." Hyde paused.  
  
"And you believed him?" Jackie said, biting her lip.  
  
"I just didn't like seeing you with Kelso." Hyde said, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"Well, you could have come to me....your girlfriend....you know, instead of going to a hotel room with some skanky nurse." Jackie began to shout.  
  
"Jackie, let me explain what happened...." Hyde started to say, but Jackie cut him off.  
  
"It doesn't matter. Don't you get it, Steven. You don't trust me, and now, I'm not sure I can trust you. Whether or not you slept with that girl, you still ran to her the second you thought I hurt you because you wanted to hurt me back." Jackie stopped to wipe away some tears that had started rolling down her cheeks. "And that, is everything that was wrong with me and Michael. He cheated on me, I forgave him. I kissed someone else, he forgave me. But, in the end, we didn't trust each other anymore, even though we pretended nothing was wrong."  
  
"Damn it, Jackie, why does it always come back to Kelso." Hyde yelled angrily. "I'm not Kelso."  
  
"Well, you could have fooled me." Jackie said bitterly, walking quickly to the door.  
  
"Wait. Don't go. I...Jackie, I love you." Hyde finally blurted out his true feelings in an attempt to keep her with him.  
  
She stopped at the door and turned to gaze at him. "I thought so," she smiled faintly. "Steven, I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do."  
  
"Jackie, I want you to be with me." Hyde said softly.  
  
"Yeah, I wanted that too," she said sadly, almost inaudibly, before walking out the door, leaving Hyde to stare at the empty room. 


	2. what is and what should never be isn't a...

What is and what should never be isn't anymore  
  
Continuing on with the J/H saga. This is the second of three chapters. I hope you like it....please let me know what you think!  
  
"So, you're miserable. I bet you can't eat or sleep." Kelso said, patting Hyde on the back.  
  
"Actually, all he does is sleep." Fez corrected.  
  
"Nothing wrong with that." Eric defended. "When Donna and I broke up, I didn't get out of bed for a week."  
  
"It was more than a week, Forman. And, if I get that bad, I'm gonna have Kelso shoot me with his bb gun." Hyde stated.  
  
"Maybe Eric should break up with Donna." Kelso suggested. "Then, we'll all be alone. It'll be great. We can sit around in the circle, go out and drink beer, look at nudie mags."  
  
"We do all those things now." Fez replied. "We're in the circle right now."  
  
"Yeah, and when Donna and I broke up, I don't remember you breaking up with Jackie so we could all be alone." Eric said, annoyed.  
  
"No one asked me too." Kelso shrieked.  
  
"Kelso, man, thanks for the offer." Hyde said. "Especially since you were a huge part of the problem, moron."  
  
"Hey, don't blame me because you were jealous of the special bond Jackie and I have. It's not like I tried to steal her back or anything." Kelso said indignantly.  
  
"Yes, you did!" Hyde, Eric, and Fez shouted in unison.  
  
"Fine, blame me if you want to." Kelso shrugged.  
  
"It doesn't matter, man." Hyde said, slumping back in the chair.  
  
"No," Fez agreed, "it really doesn't. Jackie is still gone because you didn't trust her."  
  
"Fez, that's probably...." Eric tried to stop him, noticing the anger building in Hyde, but Fez kept going.  
  
"You trusted some naught nurse to do no one knows what cause you're not saying." Fez continued his synopsis.  
  
"Um, Fez, I think I would...." Kelso also tried to stop Fez, seeing the increasingly angry Hyde, but Fez still went on.  
  
"So, now Jackie doesn't trust you, even though you love her. She's probably starting to not love you anymore, since you took her heart and...." Fez was cut off.  
  
"That's it, Fez, I'm gonna kick your ass." Hyde shouted, jumping out of his chair. "I'm gonna kick your ass so hard, you will wind up back in your own country .... wherever that is....no one knows cause you're not saying." Hyde finished, his last words mocking Fez. Fez didn't really hear him because he was out the door and running down the driveway, so Hyde chased him.  
  
"So," Kelso looked at Eric, "what do you think my chances are with Jackie?" Eric rolled his eyes and went upstairs. "Yeah, I think they're pretty good too." Kelso laughed. ---  
  
"Come on, Jackie." Donna urged, pulling Jackie's arm to drag her from the bed. "There is a sale at the mall. You never miss a sale."  
  
Jackie let Donna pull her into a sitting position. "I don't feel like shopping."  
  
"It's 50% off." Donna said, trying to tempt her. "Nothing says moving on better than trying on new clothes."  
  
"Well..." Jackie looked more interested. "I always wanted to buy Steven new clothes. He never let me." Jackie said sadly.  
  
"Ok, Jackie, enough moping." Donna said, irritated. "You're been like this for days now. You have to...." Donna stopped mid-sentence. "Hey, you know who wouldn't get out of bed after our breakup? Eric. Hyde said he stayed in bed for like a week after we broke up. You are Eric!" Donna laughed.  
  
Jackie jumped up. "Ok, lets go shopping," she said, pulling Donna towards the door. "Breaking up is hard to do." ---  
  
"Where are you boys going?" Kitty called from the kitchen as Kelso, Hyde, Eric, and Fez were walking out the sliding door.  
  
"There's a 50% off sale at the mall, and they are giving away free stuff to get shoppers to stop by." Eric answered, climbing into the driver's seat of the Vista Cruiser.  
  
"Yeah, and if there is one thing Hyde likes just a little bit less than stolen stuff, it's free stuff." Kelso laughed, shutting the back door of the car.  
  
"Well, it's nice to see you getting out, Steven. Mr. Forman and I have been worried about you." Kitty said as Red walked out from the garage.  
  
"No, I haven't." Red said, staring at Kitty. "The boy is 18. A little girl trouble is not going to faze him. Only a dumbass like Eric would sit around moping cause he got dumped."  
  
"And we're leaving." Eric said, pulling down the driveway. ---  
  
"Jackie, when I said trying on new clothes would help you move on, I didn't mean the whole store." Donna yelled over the huge pile of skirts, shirts, dresses, and pants she was holding.  
  
"No, no, Donna, I think you were right. This is good for me. I can move on....in a brand new outfit. It will be my moving on outfit." Jackie said, taking some clothes from Donna. "I'm going to go try these on. Do not, under any circumstances, put down the ones you are holding. People are like vultures when it comes to getting stuff cheap." When she walked back to the dressing rooms, Donna found an empty chair near the entrance and threw the rest of Jackie's clothes onto it. She then proceeded to stand guard over the chair. While defending one of the many skirts Jackie had selected, Donna heard a familiar voice coming from the mall.  
  
"You just can't put a price tag on free stuff, can you?" Kelso asked, happily eating a corndog.  
  
"No, you actually can't....that's why they call it free." Eric smirked. Turning to take a bite of his corndog, he caught Fez trying to steal it. "Fez," he yelled loudly, "get your own."  
  
"I did, and then I ate it, so now it is gone." Fez yelled in response. "I miss my corndog."  
  
Hearing the distinctive shout of Fez, Donna left the store and caught up with the guys. "What are you doing here...with Hyde?" she asked nervously, after pulling Eric aside so the others couldn't hear.  
  
"We thought free stuff might cheer him up. And hey, if that doesn't work, he could always steal something." Eric said, taking a bite of corndog.  
  
"Huh, that's great. I brought Jackie." Donna said, agitated.  
  
"What? Why would you bring Jackie?" Eric shot back.  
  
"Gosh, I don't know. Why would I bring Jackie to a mall? It's not like she likes shopping, or spending money, or anything." Donna responded sarcastically.  
  
"Ok, Donna," Eric said, calming down, "don't panic. We'll just get Hyde out of here before Jackie sees him."  
  
"Too late." Donna said, taking Eric's shoulders and turning him so he could see the disaster that was about to occur.  
  
Jackie walked out of the store with a rather large shopping bag. She stopped short when she saw Hyde standing in front of a free t-shirt stand. He never would have seen her, except that Kelso turned around, saw Jackie, and said "hey, it's Jackie."  
  
"Michael!" Jackie shouted, slapping him on the arm. That's when Hyde turned and the two stared at each other for a very long time.  
  
Finally, Fez broke the silence. "So, this must be very awkward for the two of you."  
  
"Whatever." Jackie said, staring down at her feet.  
  
"It's cool." Hyde said, shifting his gaze to Eric and Donna. They quickly turned and pretended to be deep in conversation. Hyde looked back at Jackie. "I didn't know you'd be here."  
  
"That's cool." Jackie responded, giving it all the zen she could muster.  
  
"Ok, I'm gonna go." Hyde said.  
  
"Whatever," she replied as he began to walk away. "Steven," she called quickly before she could stop herself.  
  
Hyde turned and walked back over. "Yeah?"  
  
"I'm fine, by the way. Thanks for asking." Jackie said icily.  
  
"I didn't ask." Hyde replied calmly. He then added, more sincerely, "I could see that you were. Why else would you be here?"  
  
"Just getting over a broken heart." Jackie said innocently, as her eyes began to fill with tears.  
  
"Jackie..." Hyde began, but had to stop and search for the right words. "What do you want me to say?" he asked, not being able to think of anything else.  
  
"I always apologized like a zillion times and then said I love you." Kelso said, butting in.  
  
"Don't worry, I got this one." Fez said quickly, punching Kelso in the arm. Donna and Eric rolled their eyes.  
  
"I said everything already." Hyde continued. "Unless you are ready for me to explain about the nurse's ball."  
  
"I just..." Jackie stared at Hyde indecisively, trying to figure out what she wanted.  
  
"Look, I'm not going to chase after you. Yeah, I messed up, and I will try to fix it if you give me the chance. But, I'm not going to beg for that chance, Jackie. You either want to stay together or you don't." Hyde waited for an answer.  
  
Steven, I need....to buy shoes for my new outfit." Jackie said, running away.  
  
"BURN!" Kelso shouted, then quickly turned to the t-shirts, trying to act like nothing happened.  
  
"Ok, I guess I'm gonna go watch Jackie buy shoes.....and cry for the hundredth time." Donna told Eric. She shot Hyde an apologetic glance before leaving.  
  
"Well," Eric said, walking over to Hyde, "this calls for drastic measures." He paused. "What do you want to steal, buddy?" he asked, putting his arm around Hyde's shoulders to lead him away. Kelso and Fez followed. ---  
  
Kitty watched the boys file in the back door one-by-one. Everyone headed to the basement but Kelso, who stopped at the refrigerator.  
  
"Michael, why is everyone so gloomy? I haven't seen you all this quiet since that time Eric said you ran out of film." Kitty said, concerned. "You know, I never knew you boys took so many pictures."  
  
Kelso grinned and took a gulp of soda. "Mrs. Forman, I don't understand it either. See, Jackie and Hyde broke up, I think, but Hyde took it pretty hard." Kelso shook his head. "It's not like we all didn't see this coming. It was just a matter of time."  
  
"That's not very nice, Michael. Steven is your friend, and his heart is broken." Kitty scolded.  
  
Kelso choked on a mouthful of soda. "Hyde....heart-broken? Mrs. Forman, I'm ashamed of you. You'd think you'd know Hyde just a little better than that, since you live with him and all. Hyde doesn't have a heart."  
  
"Michael, I've tried not to listen when everyone says you're a dumbass, but honey, you are a dumbass." Kitty said. "Of course Steven has a heart, and it belonged to Jackie. He loves her so much that the thought of her being alone with you, her ex-boyfriend, drove him crazy. I mean, insanity is the only explanation for him being with that nurse at the ball." Kitty explained. "Now you be nice to him." Kitty walked out of the kitchen, leaving Kelso alone.  
  
"Hyde loves Jackie." Kelso said the words slowly, really thinking about them, and finally accepting them. He quickly walked out the sliding door. There was someone he needed to talk to. 


	3. Shoe Shopping, Sandboxes, and Meatloaf

Shoe Shopping, Sandboxes, and Meatloaf  
  
This is the final chapter in A Matter of Trust. Slight spoilers. As always, please let me know what you think! Enjoy!  
"Steven, you love me, and I love you. For now, that's enough." Jackie said, walking into Hyde's room.  
  
"Jackie? What?" said Hyde, shaking his head to wake up. As he sat up in his bed, Jackie kissed him and threw her arms around his neck.  
  
"You heard me. We're in love, Steven. I don't want to fight anymore. So, let's stop fighting and never be apart." Jackie kissed him again. This time, Hyde pulled her close and kissed her back.  
  
"Um, Jackie, I don't want to ruin a good thing here, but we are going to have to be apart sometimes. I mean, I do love you, but I don't think I can handle you 24/7." Hyde said jokingly as Jackie climbed into bed next to him. "That would drive any man crazy."  
  
"Steven, you don't really want to fight about this now, do you?" Jackie asked, kissing his neck. Hyde smiled and rolled on top of her.  
  
"Steven, oh Steven," her voice called. "Steven."  
  
Hyde opened his eyes to find Kitty standing over his bed. "Steven, honey, nap time is over. I made meatloaf for dinner just for you."  
  
Hyde groaned and got out of bed. "Wow, meatloaf, thanks, Mrs. Forman."  
  
"That must have been some dream, Steven." Kitty laughed. "I've never seen someone look so unhappy about waking up." She followed Hyde up to the kitchen. ---  
  
"Explain to me again why you needed to buy 4 pairs of shoes." Donna asked as Jackie sat on her bed sorting through the boxes.  
  
"Donna, sometimes you are such a child." Jackie replied, putting down the shoebox in her hand. "Pair number one was for running into Steven unexpectedly." She showed Donna the shoes. "The second pair was for having to act like I don't care when I actually do in front of Steven." She gestured to another box. "Now, I needed the third pair to deal with having to run away from Steven after losing my cool." Jackie modeled the shoes on her feet.  
  
"Ok," said Donna, trying to follow her logic. "so the fourth pair was for not going back and talking to Hyde after losing your cool while pretending not to care that you unexpectedly ran into him?" she guessed, running out of breath.  
  
"NO! They were just cute." Jackie said, annoyed. "Where did you come up with that crazy theory anyway?" Donna plopped down on her bed and pulled a pillow over her face. ---  
  
"Yum, meatloaf." Eric said, feigning excitement for Hyde's benefit.  
  
"Mrs. Forman, you are a genius with meat," said Fez, chewing happily.  
  
Red rolled his eyes. "Why are you always here? I have yet to get an answer to that....and I've asked a lot," he growled at Fez.  
  
"I invited him." Kitty said sweetly. She looked over at Eric. "Pretty soon, Eric and his friends won't be eating here anymore. They'll be too busy and important with their college....I mean, jobs.....I mean, they'll be too busy and important." Kitty laughed nervously. "Then who will eat my meatloaf, Red? Who?" she cried.  
  
"Oh, crap. Kitty, I thought you had this under control." Red said, irritated.  
  
"Um, Dad," Eric whispered, "that is under control." He turned his attention to Kitty. "Mom, we'll still come eat your meatloaf. You just can't get enough of a good meatloaf, can you Hyde?" Eric asked, appealing for help.  
  
"Nope." Hyde said briefly, staring at his plate.  
  
"Kitty, Eric will still be here to eat all of your dinners, seeing as how he can't afford to go to college, since he's still engaged to Donna and jobless." Red stated.  
  
Eric shook his head. "That may be true right now, Dad, but Donna, my fiancée, can cook. She made...." he searched for the right lie, "delicious chicken Pinciotti before." Eric swallowed hard at the memory of the undercooked chicken. "I'm sure her meatloaf will be just...delightful."  
  
"And just what is wrong with my cooking, may I ask?" Kitty said angrily.  
  
"Nothing. I love it." said Eric, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "I just meant...."  
  
"Don't worry, Kitty." Red interrupted to continue his tirade. "Even if Eric is off living on the streets with Donna and her chicken, Steven will still be here. He's not going anywhere from the looks of things."  
  
"Except back down to the basement." Hyde said, leaving the table.  
  
"Well, Red, you've managed to insult everyone sitting at the table. Are you happy now?" Kitty yelled.  
  
"Actually...I really am." Red smiled and put a forkful of mashed potatoes in his mouth.  
  
"Me too," agreed Fez as he grabbed Hyde's plate and started to eat from it.  
  
Eric and Kitty looked at each other, then left the table. Red and Fez shrugged, then continued eating. ---  
  
Kelso stood outside Donna's bedroom door, listening to her and Jackie talk about shoes. After leaving the Forman's, he knew he had to talk to Jackie, but he needed time to figure out what to say. Unfortunately, the Hendersons got a new sandbox, so he didn't get the chance to think.  
  
"Kelso, what the hell?" Donna said when she opened the door. "Why are you covered in sand?"  
  
"I was playing in a sandbox, Donna. What else would I be covered in?" Kelso asked defensively, annunciating each word.  
  
"As usual, it has been frustrating and pointless talking with you. I'm going to go check on dinner," said Donna leaving the room.  
  
"Jackie, I came to talk to you." Kelso said, starting to sit on the bed.  
  
"Kelso, if you get sand on my bed, I'm going to come back upstairs and kick your ass." Donna said, popping her head back in the room.  
  
"Alright, alright. Damn!" Kelso said, standing back up.  
  
"Michael," Jackie began after Donna left again, "if you are trying to win me back, I'll tell you right now, it's not going to work." She thought about it for a minute. "However, if you are still going to try, start by buying me things....expensive things."  
  
"You mean like that rubber chicken I got you for our one year anniversary?" he smiled.  
  
"No, Michael, not at all like that stupid piece of crap." Jackie shouted. "Just never mind," she said quietly.  
  
Kelso stared at her for a little while before speaking. "Look, Jackie, I actually came here to talk about Hyde, not me...even though I'm like way more interesting. I mean, we could spend an hour or more just talking about my hunky bod. And that's not counting my face, which is out- of-this-world handsome." He moved to stare at himself in the mirror.  
  
"Um, did you say you wanted to talk about Steven?" Jackie asked, ignoring everything else he said.  
  
"Oh, yeah." Kelso said distractedly. He turned away from the mirror. "I know he totally dogged you with that nurse. I mean, how could he cheat on you?"  
  
"You did." Jackie said harshly.  
  
"Whatever, man. How many times do I have to tell you it was out of joy?" he screamed.  
  
"Do you have a point?" Jackie wearily asked.  
  
"I'm getting to it." replied Kelso. "Cheating is wrong no matter what, but Mrs. Forman said Hyde did it because he was heartbroken. She said he loves you, and when I thought about it, I knew she was right." Kelso looked serious. "You should have seen his face when he finally realized that you and I weren't fooling around behind his back. You'd have thought he did something really bad, like killed someone or something, not just cheated on you."  
  
"I know he loves me, moron. But I can't love him anymore. How could I love a cheater? I promised myself I would not be with another guy who cheats on me." Jackie said angrily.  
  
"All I know is that Hyde actually loves you, which is practically a miracle for Hyde. He doesn't love anything...except maybe beer and stolen stuff. He would never have cheated on you if he didn't think you were cheating on him." Kelso walked to the door. "You actually got to Mr. I don't care about anything Hyde, that's all I wanted to say. Oh, that, and if you and Hyde aren't back together by Monday, I will begin my plan to win you back." He paused. "But I can't tell you what it is, cause I haven't thought of anything yet."  
  
When Kelso left, Jackie sat on her bed. She reached under her pillow and pulled out Hyde's Led Zeppelin t-shirt. She stared at it for a long time, trying to make a decision. ---  
  
"And then Kelso showed up at my bedroom door covered in sand." Donna said, retelling her afternoon. "I think I'm supposed to be getting dinner ready, but screw it. With all the shoes, and the sand, I had to get out of there." She looked around the circle.  
  
"Donna, dinner is important. Someone needs to make the meatloaf!" Eric said nervously.  
  
"That's what you got from my story? Dinner is important? I think we need to work on your comprehension skills." Donna said, before adding, "Maybe that's why you can't get a job."  
  
"Yeah, Eric." Fez said, scolding him. "Clearly the point of Donna's story is that Jackie has too many shoes...and Kelso needs a bath." Fez looked proud of himself.  
  
"Why do I hang out with you guys?" Hyde asked, shaking his head in disgust at Eric and Fez. "The point of Donna's story is that Kelso and Jackie are probably getting back together as we speak. And you know what? That's fine by me, man. I'm done with it. Free at last!" Hyde got up and walked back to his room.  
  
"Huh." Donna said, deep in thought. "My story really didn't have a point...except maybe that Kelso and Jackie are nuts." She looked at Eric and Fez. "But coming over here, I realize that I may be the only one who is not a nut."  
  
"If I was a nut, I'd be a cashew. They are tasty." Fez said licking his lips.  
  
"Not only that, they're a source of protein. You eat enough of those babies, you don't even need meatloaf." Eric said triumphantly. ---  
  
After spending the past few days in his room and the basement, Hyde needed to get out. He grabbed his keys and walked out to the driveway, where he ran into Kelso who was just leaving the Pinciotti's.  
  
"Hey, man." Kelso greeted Hyde.  
  
"Hey." Hyde responded quietly.  
  
"Listen, I just wanted you to know that I feel your pain. And, I'm here for you..... mostly just to laugh in your face, but I'm here." Kelso smiled.  
  
"Gee, thanks. I guess that explains why you went running over to see Jackie the second she turned me down at the mall, you dillhole." Hyde said heatedly.  
  
"What? I don't know what you're talking about." Kelso looked confused.  
  
"That's convenient," said Hyde. "Man, you never know what I'm talking about."  
  
Kelso shrieked. "I do too," he said slowly and clearly. "Except now. Now, I really have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
"Donna told us how you showed up at her door to talk to Jackie. I'm sure she went running right back to you. Whatever, man." Hyde said in his zen-like way.  
  
"Hyde..." Kelso started to say.  
  
"Steven..." Jackie called, walking over from next door to join them.  
  
"Oh, great. You want to break the news to me together? You really don't need to. I got the message." Hyde said, turning to look at her.  
  
"Michael, can I talk to Steven?" Jackie asked quietly.  
  
"I'm not stopping you." Kelso said, crossing his arms.  
  
"Michael! Leave!" demanded Jackie.  
  
"Fine." Kelso yelled. "But I'm just going to go down to the basement and tell everyone else so they can come spy on you too." Kelso said as he stomped away. ---  
  
And that's just what he did. As soon as the gang heard about the scene that was going to take place in the driveway, they ran up to the kitchen to try and listen at the sliding door. Red and Kitty were there cleaning up from dinner.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Red asked loudly, watching everyone crowd at the door.  
  
"Jackie and Hyde are going to have another showdown." Kelso responded quickly.  
  
"Well, it is just wrong to spy on people." Kitty decreed. "But, if you open the door a crack, and they yell loudly enough, maybe we'll hear something," she said, squeezing into the group to get a peek.  
  
"You kids have more damn problems that the commies over in Russia." Red commented. "You know, with the motor mouth on that little one, Steven will by lucky to get a word in edgewise." He inched closer to the door, trying not to appear interested.  
  
"All I know is the suspense is killing me," said Fez anxiously.  
  
"Actually...you're killing me." Eric cried. "Get off my foot!"  
  
"Shut up," yelled Donna. "It looks like Jackie's saying something." ---  
  
"Michael and I aren't together. We haven't been together since you and I got together." Jackie said. "Not that I should have to explain that to you."  
  
"Do you think I like being jealous of Kelso? It's Kelso, man." Hyde licked his lips. "This isn't me. I'm not insecure."  
  
"Oh, so it's my fault?" Jackie asked skeptically.  
  
"Yes!" Hyde shouted back. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be in this mess."  
  
"You cheated on me. You slept with someone else." Jackie yelled. "And I heard the reason...you thought I was cheating on you with Michael. But the fact is, I wasn't. I would never do that to you, but you couldn't trust that."  
  
"Jackie, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I love you, and I'm sorry, but there's nothing else I can say. I made a huge mistake. If I could take it back, I would. There's nothing else I can do." Hyde continued to stare at her.  
  
"I know all that. I know you love me, and I know you're sorry." She sighed. "I was looking at that ugly, dirty t-shirt you gave me for my birthday today. At first, I was going to rip it up and burn it. Then I thought I'd rip it up and send it to you. Then, I thought I'd rip it up, burn it, and send you the ashes. But when it came down to it, I didn't really want to do anything to it."  
  
"Ok. Um, I know you think I'm supposed to understand all your cryptic little messages, but I don't know what that means." Hyde said, frustrated.  
  
"It means, you're wrong, Steven, there is something you can do." Jackie said hesitantly.  
  
"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but Jackie, I'll do almost anything." Hyde said earnestly.  
  
"Well, Steven, it's a matter of trust. If you want to be with me, you have to trust me," she said seriously.  
  
Hyde still looked confused. "I have to trust you?"  
  
"That's right, Mr. I'm not even sure that what time we think it is right now is really what time it is. I know you don't trust anything.....but you're going to start. You're going to trust me, or we really are over," stated Jackie, matter-of-factly.  
  
"Jackie, it's not that easy." Hyde said apprehensively.  
  
"Steven, you got a 950 on your SATs. You can do anything. Just tell me that you are going to trust me, and then start trusting me." Jackie smiled slightly.  
  
"Well, are you going to trust me?" Hyde questioned.  
  
Jackie thought about it for a split second. "You cheated on me with a slutty nurse. Of course, I don't trust you....right now. But, maybe you can earn that back....eventually."  
  
"I thought you wouldn't be with another boy who would cheat on you." Hyde said cautiously.  
  
"Trustful Steven wouldn't cheat on me. Mistrustful Steven did though." Jackie smiled again. "Which one are you going to be?"  
  
Hyde smiled slowly. "Trustful Steven," he answered after a minute. "Jackie, I can say that I trust you, but doing it is a little harder. So, I will try to trust you. It's just not something that I'm used to."  
  
"Well, will you try really hard?" she asked playfully.  
  
"Yes, I will try really hard." Hyde said back, smiling.  
  
"Good." She walked closer to him. "You better learn fast!" She warned before putting her arms around his neck. Hyde wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He kissed her, but the reunion was cut short by loud cheering coming from the Forman's kitchen door. Even Kelso was genuinely happy, shouting "Maybe now you can finally do it."  
  
Jackie and Hyde smiled at each other. "Ok, ok, the Hyde and Jackie show is over. Nothing to see here." Hyde said, before kissing her again and leading her down the driveway to his car.  
  
"Now what are we going to watch?" Fez whined.  
  
Eric looked at his watch. "Quincy's on in 5 minutes," he suggested as everyone ran to the living room, glad that the Hyde and Jackie drama had finally ended.  
  
"I swear to God, if Jackie had bought one more pair of shoes, I would have killed her." Donna said sitting on the couch.  
  
"Well, moping, love-sick Hyde was a barrel of laughs." Eric added, putting his arm around her.  
  
"How about we all shut up about Jackie and Steven, before someone winds up with my foot in their ass." Red said, turning on the tv.  
  
"Besides, we all knew it would work out in the end. Those things always do." Kitty said happily.  
  
"Me and Jackie didn't work....." Kelso started to say.  
  
"Shut it." Red quickly commanded.  
  
"Ok." Kelso said turning his attention to the tv. ---  
  
"So, Steven, what do you want to do?" Jackie asked, sitting in the passenger seat of his car.  
  
"You know what, Jackie, you decide...I trust you." Hyde said starting the car.  
  
"Good answer." Jackie said, kissing him on the cheek as they drove away. 


End file.
